Hoka Tecton X 3 trail running shoes

The Hoka Tecton X 3 trail running shoe is a fast and lightweight carbon plate trail running shoe with good traction that you can use on difficult technical terrain. It has a durable and lightweight upper, a soft and dynamic midsole that’s stable enough, and a very good grip outsole that’s also durable. The Tecton X 3 trail running shoe is best suited for longer runs, even ultra distances, and its speed and dynamism are also more to be enjoyed on longer runs.

Hoka Tecton X 3 upper

The upper of the Hoka Tecton X 3 trail running shoe is not a standard one, it’s obvious at first glance. The upper ends in a stitched-in gaiter with a raised textile collar to prevent small debris from getting inside the shoe while running. This is a very good solution and Hoka has done it perfectly. There is no tongue because of the built-in gaiter, and this fabric gaiter is also the tongue of the shoe, running all the way to the front of the shoe. I am of the opinion (and I have written this many times) that the upper of a trail running shoe is only good if it is hard to put on. The Hoka Tecton X3 is hard to put on, so it has a good upper. The upper is a mesh material made of Matryx fabric. Matryx is a high tensile material with Kevlar fibres. This is the fabric used in the previous version, and it’s also the Matryx fabric that Salomon uses in some of its trail running shoes. The upper of the Tecton X3 is not waterproof, but it is moisture resistant and dries quickly. There is some toe protection in the forefoot made from a waterproof rubber layer. The upper fits true to size and is wider than the upper of the previous version, so it will be comfortable for runners with wider feet, but runners with thinner feet should tighten the shoe, as the elastic material that acts as the tongue, a continuation of the sockliner, is quite stretchy, so on more technical terrain the shoe will feel less secure if the laces are not tightened well.

Hoka Tecton X 3 midsole

The Hoka Tecton X 3 trail running shoe midsole is a sandwich midsole. The bottom and top layers are made of a very flexible, light and soft PEBA foam, and a carbon plate is sandwiched between the two layers. The carbon plate is actually two parallel strips of carbon with minimal flex. This type of arrangement, a solution that uses two parallel strips rather than one large plate, is a very good solution for trail running. Trail tunning, it’s good for the sole to be able to flex in all directions when running on larger stony or rocky surfaces. Hoka has solved this perfectly with this parallel solution. The PEBA foam in the midsole is high, 40 mm at the heel, and because it is soft, it would not provide enough stability. This is improved by the solution that the parallel carbon strips have a single wing in the middle of the shoe to keep the foot straight. The PEBA foam and carbon plate is a very dynamic midsole, you can run fast in the Tecton X 3 trail running shoe. Although the shoe is not heavy, especially considering the built-in gaiter, it is more suitable for long, medium-paced runs than short, fast ones. This is an ultra-distance shoe, and its very good energy return means that you can run longer distances in it to conserve energy and avoid tiring your feet later on.

Hoka Tecton X 3 Outsole

The outsole of the Hoka Tecton X 3 Trail Running Shoe is a Vibram outsole, like the outsole of previous versions, but it’s also significantly different from the previous version. The Vibram Megagrip Litebase outsole is both lighter, as the name suggests, and the size and positioning of the rubber lugs have been changed for better grip. The rubber lugs have tiny rubber studs on the sides, which further improves the grip of the outsole. The good grip means that the Tecton X 3 can cope with difficult technical terrain, supported by the upper and midsole. The outsole does not cover the entire midsole, both to save weight and make the shoe lighter, and to keep the midsole more flexible and pliable. It is true that this solution offers less protection, but the carbon plate in the midsole can also take over the role of the rock protection plate to some extent.

For whom and for what kind of runs is the Hoka Tecton X 3 trail running shoe recommended? Summary

The Hoka Tecton X 3 trail running shoe is a fast, even ultra-distance, carbon-plate trail running shoe that can handle tough, technical terrain. It’s best suited for advanced, experienced trail runners looking for a reliable shoe for longer and/or faster trail runs. The Tecton X 3 has changed a lot from the previous version, with a new Matryx upper with integrated gaiter that’s slightly wider. It has a sandwich midsole, between two layers of dynamic and lightweight PEBA foam, there is a carbon plate made up of two parallel strips with side wings for better stability of the shoe. A lighter and more grippy Vibram Megagrip Litebase outsole has been added to improve the already good grip.